Love is
by thinkthoughts
Summary: What love is. Cliche as it seems? Maybe, but why not find out on your own? SasukeXSakura ONESHOT


**A/N: A random oneshot I wrote at 3am last night. I have always wanted to write one, hope you like this.**

* * *

The world itself is a simple thing. It is the people living in it that made it complicated.

Love, however, is probably one of the most complex things ever.

Love makes one competitive. To fight and rival against all others to have it for yourself.

Love makes one do crazy things. To have no second thoughts about anything even if by means of fighting one's inner self in public.

Love makes one courageous. To want to protect one's utmost loves, even if it meant risking one's life for it.

Loves makes one hurt. The possible rejections and even betrayal.

Yet, love could be so strong that it runs through long period of time. So long, that one forgets its definition and even its existence.

-- x --

It was years after, after the longing, the endurance, the determination and countless disappointments, was the return of Uchiha Sasuke.

Like Naruto, Sakura's exhilaration was beyond description. Their teammate, their comrade, friend or even brother was home.

His goal had been achieved, his punishment of a year's probation and community service had been received and endured.

For once, in over a decade, the hatred he wore had been removed.

It has been two years, and as fast as it was, it sure was enough for the trio to had back what they once lost.

As far as Sakura was concern, a new friendship was formed with the raven-haired teen - one of trust and mutual understanding. He had opened up to her as he did to Naruto, maybe even more. He saw her as equal standing, no longer weak neither a burden, although as she blatantly stated to him once, he was sometimes still same old egoistical one.

He spoke more, he smiled more.

He was happy, and so was she.

He cared for her, and so did she, just like they do too, to Naruto and vice versa.

She loves him, like Naruto.

She loves him because he was a friend.

She was so sure, yet part of her heart felt it was missing something.

She no longer cling to him, because he does it instead, says it wards off the never dying fan girls.

She no longer beg him for a date, because they were pretty much always together – training, eating and hanging out, sometimes with Naruto, sometimes just the two.

She no longer had second thoughts nor hesitates, because he assured her back up.

She no longer had to force herself to be brave, because he had promised to lend her a shoulder when she needed ne to cry on.

Love made one hurt, and that hurt would probably never heal, but she found herself a friend after that, and that was all she ever needed.

She was so sure, yet part of her heart felt like it was missing something.

-- x --

"Sakura, do you still love Sasuke?"

"Of cos I do." It was an instant answer, because she knew it. He was her friend.

"In a non platonic way?"

'Of cos not… "She desperately wanted to reply, but something tugged at her, the empty space in her heart swelled bigger.

She really hated Ino sometimes.

The blonde woman was probably the only one ever possible to fluster her. Fluster her peaceful and contented life.

She was so sure.

She really hated Ino sometimes.

_Smart_ of her to pick a good timing to mess up the ruffles she had once subconsciously smoothen and hidden. Really, of all times when she has training with Sasuke.

-- x --

As expected, for Sakura, like Naruto, who often wore his heart on his sleeve, to be losing her focus after pulling out her hidden emotions.

He saw, her viridian pupils constant shifting, her random attacks missing him from a far shot, he factored, it was obvious she was distracted. With no warning giving, the young man fell to lie on the grass, pulling his team mate along with him.

"Why did we stop?" Her voice was irritated. She had hopped that maybe the training could rid her of the unwelcoming ideas that were once more intruding her life. But in the midst of trying, and before she could even got anywhere he had to stop them.

Lying beside him, she allowed her eyes to wander to the sky, and she noticed how he seemed to do the same. A comfortable silence settled between them for moments before the Uchiha heir spoke.

"What's wrong Sakura?" His voice, although was now deeper as compared from their genin days, was still velvety and enchanting. Her name, as it roll off the tip of his tongue, seemed to give him an entitlement of some sort -one that probably him and only him to say in such a manner that caused her heart to flutter to new light, just like before.

For some reason, she wanted to ask. And of all people, she knew better than to do so. But she was desperate, just for anyone to understand the ache that was returning.

"Sasuke, have you ever love a person once only to find out that you still do?"

'No.' She was already awaiting of her predicted answer to slip from her companion.

"Yes, I did." Unforeseen as it was, her large green orbs instantly widen twice it size as she unintentionally flipped over so that she now was positioned atop him. Her emerald irises clashing against his onyx ones, still startled by what she heard, she desperately she search for a hint of tease. But he held nothing but an impassive gaze.

Her heart was starting to hurt, yet there was something she found through their contact. She didn't know what, but his eyes seemed to soften with every passing moment. She didn't understand that familiar look, but it gave her a sense of comfort. Allowing herself to exude this final hope, she decided it was now or never.

With a breath, she spoke.

"If I had said that I had once loved you, and still do, would you stop loving her and give me that one chance?"

He saw, the mixture of emotions running through her – the determination, the hope, the fear. The signs of them diminishing as he tried to sit up, causing her to follow suit.

"No, I wouldn't"

"Instead, I'd look deep into her emerald green eyes and say 'I love you'." He leaned towards her, their foreheads against each other, their noses almost touching; their gaze held strong against one another, his callous hand already found its way tangled with her pink locks.

"Then I'd ask her, 'would you give me every single chance to love you forever, like I did many years ago.'"

Planting a chaste kiss on her already trembling lips, he pulled back into the same gaze.

"Sakura, I love you. Will you give me every single chance to love you forever, just like I did many years ago?"

She was still surprise, but elation had overwhelmed the former, the girl simply nodded before she was pulled into another kiss from the male.

-- x --

Complex as it is, love is also simple.

Love is patient.

-- x --

"**Love is** patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."** --Paul in I Corinthians 13:4-7**


End file.
